Computer networks have grown increasingly complex with the use of distributed client/server applications, mixed platforms and multiple protocols all in a single physical backbone. The control of traffic on networks is likewise moving from centralized information systems departments to distributed work groups. The growing utilization of computer networks is not only causing a move to new, high speed technologies, but is at the same time making the operation of computer networks more critical to day to day business operations. The use of quality of service (QoS) criteria for managing and/or contracting communication service level agreements (SLAs) is becoming increasingly common in networks, such as networks supporting Internet protocol (IP) communications.
Deregulation of telecommunications providers, new communications technologies, and the Internet have often been cited as important factors in bringing about increased competition in the delivery of telecommunications services. As a result of this increased competition, telecommunications providers have generally been under pressure to improve efficiency and cut costs and yet still maintain a high quality level of service for their customers. In this competitive environment, one area in which telecommunications providers may be able to gain a competitive edge is in the support systems that are used to operate, manage, and maintain the telecommunications networks. These support systems may be called operational support systems (OSS).
Broadly stated, an OSS for a telecommunications network may include software services that are used to support the operations of a telecommunications network. Three support areas that may be addressed by a telecommunications OSS are 1) provisioning and order management, 2) billing and customer support, and 3) network management. Provisioning and order management may include such functions as service activation, service order processing, and service provisioning. Billing and customer support may include such functions as data collection, retail and wholesale billing, bill compilation, and customer care. Finally, network management and/or network service quality management may include such functions as fault management, performance monitoring, error analysis, and security.
One problem related to network management which may be encountered is a loss of data records during transmission from a source device to a destination device over a communication network. It is desirable, under such circumstances, to be able to identify the root cause device for such lost data records, so as, for example, to facilitate prompt initiation of corrective actions. However, the increasingly complex structure of such communications networks, such as the Internet, complicates the identification of the root cause for such losses given the numerous routing devices which may define the network between the source and destination device and further given the nature of the structure of the Internet in which it is common to have a variety of different paths which may be utilized for transmission of data records between a given source and destination device. It is known with various commercially available network management system packages to utilize commands such as segment path identification commands and “ping” features in combination with direct queries to the routing devices defining the topology of a network to obtain status and performance information. This approach generally relies on overall performance information from the various routing devices defining the communications network based on either passive or active generated data transmissions to characterize the status of communications network components rather than evaluating the specific data flow which encountered the lost data records and directly identifying a point of loss.